Molded rubber boot with flexible top



1,860,403 l.. H. BURNHAM May 31,'-1932.

E TOP lMLDED RUBBER BOOT WITH FLEXIBL aim July 12, 1929 .Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT, *0l,--FI,.- l

LAURENCE H. BURNI-IAM, OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, T0 rH001) RUBBER COlllIlEhANKY,y INC., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A

CORPORATION 0F DEIAJVARE` MOLDED RUBBER'BOOT FLEXIBLE TOI?4 applicati@ inea July 12, 1929; serial 4iro..377,789.

This invention relates to improvements in rubber boots, and particularly to armolded knee length rubber boot having a flexible upper portion.

The object of the invention is to provide a knee length rubberboot havingfoot, ankle and lower leg portions of the usual thickness f and stiffness, the stiffness being obtained by causing the rubber compound andlining of which the boot is composedto be imbedded and intermingled one with another duringl the molding and vulcanizingr operation; and the -exibility of the upper portionof the boot legV being obtained by terminating the lining` at a point approximately midway of the length yof the leg portion so that the upper* portion of the boot leg, when turned down so far that the line of fold is approximately at thegjunction of the ystilf and flexible portions will be suspended from the stiff portion andwill terminate at the ankle.

The invention consists in a rubber boot as set forth in thefollowing vspeciiication and particularly as pointed out `in the claims i thereof. Y

Referring to the drawings: Fig. l represents a side elevation of .a rubber boot embodying my invention with a por` tion of the leg and foot portions broken away tion S and knee portion9 formed of rubber compound. Within the boot -a.lining`10,

preferably formed of knitted fabric, is pro-y vided for the foot and ankle portions 6 andA 7 respectively, and said lining terminates within the leg portion 8 at 11 Yat a point suband preferably lapproximately',midway between the ankle portion 7 and kneey portion9.

The Vfoot and ankle portions and lower leg l unlined leg portion. stantially Vbelow the top ofthe leg portion by molding the rubber compound of the boot upon the lining 10 and causingthe rubber compound and the threadsof the lining to become'ntermingled and imbeddedone withj another during the molding .and vulcanizing operation.

The rubber compound of the. upper portion of the legy portion 8 is of approximately the` same thickness as therubber compound of the lower leg portion, but by terminatingthe lining at thepoint 1l of said legportion, the

Vupper leg portion is rendered extremely flexible in character as compared `to the lower portion, thereby making it possible to fold the upper leg portion over the lower leg portion as shown in dotted lines, F ig. 1, in the same manner that the extensions of hip type rubber boots .are folded.

The boot of this invention is preferably constructed in accordance with a process disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,722,697, process for manufacturing rubber boots, to

`which reference may be had if it is so desired.

I claim:

1;,Arubber boot embodying a foot vand leg portion of molded rubber compound, and a lining of fabric extending from the foot portion upwardly to a point substantially below the top of the leg portion, the material of adjacent surfaces of the fabric and rubber compound interminglingfone with another and stiiening the lower portion of the boot, whereby the upper leg portion is rendered relatively flexible as compared `to the lower leg portion.

2. A rubber boot embodying a foot and leg portion of molded rubber compound, and `a.

lining `of knitted fabric within the leg and foot portions and terminating at a point substantially below the top of the leg por-` tion, said fabric being imbedded and vulcan- .,ized in thel rubber compound and rendering the same relatively sti as compared to the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. Y i Y LAURENCE H. BURNHAM.'y

portion of the boot are of the usual relatively Y sti-' character, and this stiffness is obtained 'n 

